From the end of March to early June, The Lady Raiders Softball Team proved to its fans that they could hit a home run and catch a fly ball. They put their best into the season and preparations for next year’s season are already being made. Coaches and players believe there is plenty of room for improvement.

“This year was better than last year. We had a very young team last year,” Head Coach Marc Dudsak said. “Now they have had another year of playing softball and you can really see the maturity of the team in practice and on game day.  The girls were motivated within themselves to get better and it  really showed.”

Throughout the season, the Lady Raiders improved tremendously. Not only was there a cry of motivation, but also a thirst for victory.

According to freshman player Soubia Hasan, the highlight of the season was winning games against top teams and being formidable competitors.

“We played to the best of our abilities against good teams and we played the whole game, all seven innings,” she said. 

Coach Dudsak was proud when they beat Fort Lee and won a league game for the first time in years.

The team also suffered crushing defeats, however, they did not lose their spirit or drive. They stuck together, and as a team, they followed through.

“These girls have become my family and together we have such great chemistry. We worked hard and this year was the start of our new era,” said Soubia.  

Some players see the new era as working toward high expectations and goals with more drive and skills.

“My expectations are to do better batting, fielding, and to work harder,” said junior player Ruby Maury.

Others define the promise of the new era as the need for improved skills and confidence.

“We can improve by decreasing the amount of errors we have,” freshman Muryam Usmani said.  “I expect to have a better bond with the girls and get more wins. I want to stop being scared when being on the field and be more confident.”

Even Coach Dudsak believes he can improve.

“As a coach, I need to keep the team excited and motivated,” he said.

Many current team members will become leaders next year and with the support from fans  and each other, the outlook for next year’s softball season is promising.